The Salt-Blood Pressure Hypothesis: The theory is simple... we eat salt; we get thirsty; we drink more water; the water increases blood volume; our blood pressure goes up. Seems simple enough. But it doesn't answer the question: Does a high-salt diet lead to chronic hypertension? Spoiler Alert: The answer is a definitive, "No!" Salt is an essential mineral, which means without it... you die. However, Doctors have been telling us for over 40 years that too much salt will kill us by way of a heart attack. There is not a single sound scientific study to back up this claim. The history of the low-salt diet is almost identical to the history of the low-fat diet:
Both were promoted to the public with zero scientific evidence to back up the claims
Both have been mainstream medical advice for over 40 years while Americans have only gotten sicker
Both diets can literally kill you. Especially when combined with one another!
What a Low-Salt Diet Does to the Body: A low-salt diet can lead to:
Increased Heart Rate - a much more significant risk factor for cardiovascular events, mind you
Kidney Dysfunction
Adrenal Dysfunction
Hypothyroidism
Increased LDL (bad cholesterol)
Decreased HDL (good cholesterol)
Increase insulin levels and insulin resistance
Type 2 Diabetes
Obesity
Reduced Sex Drive
Infertility (in both sexes)
Does Salt Actually Raise Blood Pressure?: Not in most people! Not even a little bit...
80% of people with normal blood pressure see zero change when consuming salt
75% of people with prehypertension see zero change when consuming salt
55% of people with full-blown hypertension see zero change when consuming salt
Hypertension is a Metabolic Disorder: This has been widely known since the 1980's. The New England Journal of Medicine published, "essential hypertension is an insulin resistant state." Over 80% of all people with hypertension also have insulin resistance. Low-Salt Diet = Obesity: Here's how...
You follow a low-salt diet
The body secretes more insulin which sends a signal to the kidney to "conserve sodium so you don't die."
The high insulin levels make body fat inaccessible for energy creation
The only energy source left is carbohydrates and your body knows this
It sends a signal to the brain telling you to "eat more carbohydrates!"
You get sugar cravings and eat more carbs
Blood glucose and insulin spike even higher
You become obese
Blood pressure goes up as a result... The very thing you were trying to avoid with a low-salt diet!!
Salt and Sex:A low-salt diet is basically a contraceptive for human beings!
Lower sex drive
Lower Testosterone
Increased Erectile Dysfunction
Lowers the age of infertility in women
Pregnant and Breastfeeding: Salt plays a critical role in development during pregnancy and breastfeeding!
Critical for breast milk production and nutrient density
A study of 2,000 pregnant women following a low-salt vs. a high-salt diet lead to:
